Album of the week- Loene Carmen: "It Walks Like Love"

A tricky one, this.
As opposed to the vast bulk of the noise that passes through my (aching, ringing) ears, this solo-with-friends album by Sydney-based singer/songwriter/actress/everything Loene Carmen is quietly forceful in a way unlike anything else I can recall hearing lately. That doesn't mean it's all shy and retiring, though. There's a a fair dose of open lovin', mingled with some sad and bitter honesty on offer here. The sound also moves across a wide range, from dusty country to howling feedback. But nothing is ever confusing- in fact, it's all pretty amazing.

Album of the week- Niagara & the Hitmen: "St. Valentine's Day Massacre"

This took a while to come out, and then a leetle while longer for my copy to filter through. But it's here now, and it's all good.
Long story short- what you get here is Sydney's Hitmen backing gen-u-ine legend Niagara on an eight song live set that's all killer, no filler. Then the Hitmen chuck in a couple more live numbers, just because they can. Everyone sounds hot, everyone sounds like they are having a ball. It is, as the liner notes say, the closing of a circle and a fine reminder of the influence of Ron Asheton.
They don't make too many of 'em like this anymore, sadly.

More too much.

Guh. If I wasn't already fully booked for this weekend, this would've been great:

Static Age presents, at the Lithuanian Club, 44 Errol St. North Melbourne: Lightning Bolt, Grey Daturas, Primitive Calculators, Naked on the Vague, Justice Yeldham, Embers Big Band, Abject Leader, Ivans, Other Films, The Whulge, Rebeiro/Andrews and Robotosaurus
This is so big it'll be over two stages/rooms. Tickets are $40 in advance, and no one is sure that there will be any left for door sales. Kicks off at 5.00pm. I have heard good things about these Bolt boys, but sadly have not been able to experience them live.

Getting in early.

Getting these out early.
First up- just because I have a lot of time for the fine people at Spooky Records- is this:

Yes it’s no mean feat but it’s true, Spooky Records has survived 10 years in what has probably been the fastest evolving time ever in the music business. So to celebrate they’re taking over the infamous Tote, on Saturday 28th November and putting on a huge bash with most of the current Spooky bands getting up and doing a set. On the bill, SixFtHick, The Bakelite Age, The Stabs, Hugo Race and True Spirit, Kretch, Digger & the Pussycats, Sailors & Swine, and a rare performance from Gentle Ben & his Sensitive Side.
To keep it fair we’ve messed with the playing times so you’ll have to get there early cause it might just be your favorite opening the proceedings. But if not, to keep you all entertained we’ll put on a free BBQ and don’t forget to check out the merch stand cause there’ll be some wicked specials from the Spooky catalogue
Doors and BBQ are at 7pm sharp and definitely no presales so come early.

Looks like a bargain at $18.00. AND I get to grab a new tshirt, cheap.
Then after that, why not head up the road to the Old Bar?

You may miss Heinz Reigler, Lee Memorial and Ninetynine, but you will get to hear me DJing again. Til 3.00am. Don't call it an "after-party", just call it a party.

Action all the time.

As the early summer heatwave kicks on, there's a couple of amazingly diverse but equally attractive shows on this weekend.
Veteran rock troupers the Hitmen return to the stage, behind the release of their new album "St. Valentine's Day Massacre". Recorded in Sydney last year, it see them teaming up onstage with genuine Detroit legend Niagara, for a run through some classics by the likes of Destroy All Monsters and the Stooges. The Hitmen reissue run continues too, with their 1984 live album "Tora! Tora! DTK!", coupled with 1991's "Moronic Inferno" plus a heap of added rarities, out now.

I can only imagine what a sweatbox Cherry Bar will be.
But if that doesn't do it for you, hop across the imaginary fence between Guitarland and Synthville, and catch Primitive Calculators, ZOND and others instead.

The two forms of music aren't mutually exclusive, you know. Just sayin'.

That and some cold beer should get you through the weekend.

Then early next week, there's this:

Now ordinarily, I wouldn't ask anyone to consider paying $8.00 to watch videos in a city bar. But when you figure the night includes the debut showing of Matt Givoni's clip for the Stabs' "Split Lips", it may be more enticing. Add to that the attendance of many of the (ahem) stars of said clip, and it looks like a winner.

Boxed in.

A few things going on this weekend- in fact, there is something on tonight:

Now, I'm not a huge fan of burlesque, and I can't stand the eternal fucking arguments over what it means- feminine empowerment vs. sexist reinforcement and so on, ad nauseum- but this looks like it could be good. And I like the poster.

Tomorrow night, them Hats boys are at the Workers Club:

They were in great form last week, playing with the Stabs. And as it says there, they will have the EP available on CD and on 10" vinyl. I can't think of a better place to pick up a copy, if for some reason you don't have one already.

Although sometime soon I need to find eight or so hours to enjoy this fine recent purchase: the complete Lone Wolf and Cub DVD boxset.

Overload.

Guh.
It's been a busy few days. Lemme see if I can remember it all.
Thursday- Rowland S. Howard at the Prince of Wales.
Friday- Witch Hats and the Stabs at the Tote.
Saturday- YIS at the Tote.
Sunday- Mark Steiner & Thomas Borge at the Sporting Fox.
Monday- the first "Last Tram Home presents" night at the Old Bar.
I've been busy. Last night at the Old Bar was great- Aktion Unit played as a four piece, Crystal Thomas teamed up with Kim Volkman, and the Late Arvo Sons blew the roof off. Then I got to play old singles til 3.00am Thanks to everyone who came along- we are already planning the next one.
But now, I am going back to bed.

The first "Last Tram Home presents..." is on.

Hmm, not sure I need to say much more. But I will anyway.

After 30 or so years of going to shows in his beloved Melbourne, TJ Honeysuckle finally steps up to the crease and says ''Bite this for a good night out''.

An eclectic selection of bands, pulled screaming from the headlines of his long running and (allegedly) renowned blog, Last Tram Home, will be playing at the Old Bar, 74 Johnson St Fitzroy, every couple of months.

Do not expect clever themed nights- expect a strange but ultimately satisfying mix.

The line up for the first show is now confirmed as:
Late Arvo Sons, probably playing lots of tunes from their excellent debut album ''Letters From Another Alphabet''
Crystal Thomas and the Flowers Of Evil, probably playing lots of tunes from their forthcoming new album.
Aktion Unit, probably making a big sweet sweaty racket.

and I'll be rounding off the evening by playing a heap of old vinyl- mostly Australian. Come along and I'll spill beer on your good boots. Or not.

Album of the week- the Stabs: "Dead Wood"

Now, this is a fine fine thing. It's been a while since the Stabs hit us with "Dirt", and although they haven't been lazy- they play pulverising live shows pretty regularly, all over the place- it's good to have something new to annoy the neighbours with.
The music here is dark, and thick, with an air of controlled violence and anger. But it's personal, not political. Top picks here are probably "Split Lips" and "No Hoper" , though it'd be hard to call anything weak.
The Melbourne launch date is at the Tote, on October 30th, with Fabulous Diamonds and Witch Hats, not sure about dates in other cities but they are being put together.
I'll post that film clip as soon as it's finished. Been a while since I had so much fun at an inner-city/share house party.

Going for the obvious.

Hmm, haven't been keeping my ear to the ground this week, so I think I may just go for something obvious:

Not that this would be a bad choice. Butcher Birds are playing a few shows around town this weekend, in support of their excellent new album- Saturday night at Yah Yah's, with Ouch My Face and Mother & Father looks like the place to be.
Although all things being equal, I'll have another distraction.


I wonder if I can slow my reading speed down enough to make a copy of this last all weekend?

Album of the week- Rowland S. Howard- "Pop Crimes".

Well, here it is. Rowland's first new album since 2000's "Teenage Snuff Film".
At first glance, it may seem that there's not a lot to it- only eight tracks, two of which have already appeared on a recent single. But repeated listening brings out an astonishing degree of subtle depth. From the unapologetically intelligent lyrics, to the way a single chord or slight tempo change lifts whole songs, this collection has some real class. The closing two tunes, "Ave Maria" and "The Golden Age Of Bloodshed" are a perfect pairing of opposites- one a love story, the other a compelling reading of (bad) omens.
Launch dates in Melbourne & Sydney later this month. Oh, and yes, it'll be available on vinyl as well as CD.

Return of the Grong.

How sweet it is to be able to post this:

Yes, they had to blow out the Missing Link in-store, and yes, the show has changed from the East to the Tote. Fingers crossed there will be no more cancellations or changes, and the rest of the tour will go ahead as planned.
Here's what someone said recently:
They were a beast of a band in many ways and were utterly unlike anything else I’ve ever seen. Personnel: Dave Taskas on bass, skinny as a stick with a plastic voodoo skull dangling from his tuning pegs. Up the back was George Klestinis, who looked like a 4/4 rockabilly cat but played a loping, skipping beat of the band's own invention. Stage right was Charlie Tolnay, hunched and sweating over a Fender Jaguar, with the air of a moonlighting bikie about him and always with a cigarette in his gob. And up front, Charlie’s step-brother Michael Farkas aka Grong. His usual look was a black op-shop suit and ski mask or vinyl fetish hood, topped off with either a Stetson or a top hat. The suit was often accessorised with slabs of steak gaffer taped to the lapels. He also wielded a battered sax at irregular intervals.
This is what you were faced with before they'd even played a note. Grong Grong may not have been virtuosos, but they could certainly play, and a recent creeping tendency to remember them as mere noisemongers completely misses the point. They had a sound that was completely their own. It was defined by that aforementioned lolloping beat, Charlie’s unique brittle guitar sound and the holy roaring horror of that voice that was laid over the top of it all. Live, there was a gut level impact to them that was unforgettable.
Their own songs were called things like ‘Japanese Train Driver’, ‘Club Grotesque’, ‘Louie The Fly’, ‘Hunka Chunka’ and ‘Meat Axe’, and they were always happy to throw in a few well-chosen covers as well: The Stooges' ‘Loose’, ‘Lookin' At You’ by the MC5, ‘The Hills Have Eyes’ by The Meteors and, famously, an extended jam on Flipper's ‘Sex Bomb’. My favorite quote about them is from Byron Coley in Forced Exposure magazine: “…all kindsa spectral rattles just float in the air, while all sortsa shit-hronk throbs underneath.”

Do not miss them.

Album of the week- Butcher Birds: "Set My Bones"

Is Brisbane going through some kind of a phase right now? Sixfthick have never sounded better, Violent Soho seem poised for some kind of break out...and now there's this, the debut album from Butcher Birds (no "the" required).
It's saucy and kinda nasty at times but the overall feel is kinda sweet. Tracks are mostly built around heavy basslines, with some classic loud/soft/loud dynamics going on too, and they aren't afraid to let things play out a bit if it suits. "Dig Me!" and "Yoko Coma" would be my top picks but it's all pretty damn good. Oh, and there's some bubbling internet controversy going on about the band that may raise a chuckle, too.
Playing at the Old Bar soon, I hear.

"Last Tram Home presents..."

There's long been a tag here for "relentless self promotion". That's soon to be cranked up a notch- the first "Last Tram Home presents" live event is now officially in the works.
Details are still TBA- some calls need to made- but a date and venue have firmed up. Inner city, on November 2nd, which is Cup Eve, if you want to pencil that into your diary right now.
Stay tuned for full info, and so on.
Anyone interested in playing this (or any of the planned future ones) should get in touch via the email link in my profile.
I gotta go- that's Gudinski ringing my mobile.

Gaffstock '09

Oops, I can't believe I almost forgot to mention this.
idGAFF's annual blow-out starts tonight. It's a great little venue, and deserves your support.




It's $15 a session, though I think season passes are available. This is the full list of bands and playing times.

Thurs 1 Oct (starts at 6:30 pm): The Revels, Jacks Azimuth, Gold Gull, Beat Disease, The Medicators, My Left Boot, Matt Sonic and the High Times.

Fri 2 Oct (starts at 6:30 pm): Tall Order, Shark in the Dark, The Dot Coms, Free to Run, Straylove, Stu Thomas Paradox, Clinkerfield.

Sat 3 Oct (starts at 6:30 pm): Jimmy Yukka, Tijuana Souvenirs, Tabasco Junkies, The Australian Kingswood Factory, Mother and Father, Rouge Foncé, Dave Graney and the Lurid Yellow Mist.

Sun 4 Oct (starts at 6 pm): Highway Knobbery, The Velocettes, Howl at the Moon, Trotskys Pick, Little Fool, the Toot Toot Toots

What else do you need to know?

Old folks' home breakout.

Yep, more oldies on the horizon.
Can you read that?

It's from the liner notes of the Au Go Go Records "Slab Of Vic" compilation LP. Melbourne's gospel-rock legends The Slaughtermen are back on deck this Friday, 2nd. October, for the first time since 1995. AND the show is on at the excellent Oakleigh Bowls Club, too- $20 if there are any tickets left on the night.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, another Melbourne legend is doing a low-key warm up ahead of a couple of album launch shows later in the month.
Rowland S. Howard's first new material for some time, "Pop Crimes" will be out soon. I've already heard it, and I am completely sold on it. I know it's a school night, but things kick off early- at 4.00pm- and for only $10, in a smaller, more intimate venue, you would be mad to miss this. Supports include current buzz band St. Helens, too.

Album of the week- The UV Race: "The UV Race"

My fondness for these young pups' live outings has never been in doubt. After the early fumblings of their live-at-Missing Link cassette, and the demo/party mix CD (which included tracks by the Seeds, VOM, Stooges, Electric Eels and others mixed in with the band's own stuff) it's a relief to get hold of this album and realise they've pulled it off.
Scuzzy, raucous, utterly instinctive and full of self-confidence, it's everything you, or I, or any other band, could hope for from a debut album.

MOPBA 2009

Don't know how I missed mentioning this earlier...anyway, this year's annual Museum Of Particularly Bad Art exhibition and competition was launched last night. It's not giving too much away to mention that this was this year's winner, Ben Butcher's "Why Do We Need A Porpoise In Life?"

He's a photographer, usually.
Anyway, the exhibition runs at the Chapel Off Chapel, in Prahran, until September 27th, and is well worth a look. But not a long, thoughtful look, perhaps.

(insert something clever here)

Sorry, but I've had a bit of a fucked up week, which involved two trips to hospital- (three, if you count one made by a good friend)- as well as a frantic workload.
Forgive me if this is kinda short and sweet- it's not easy to type with one hand in plaster.
Ghost Of Tape Man is from New Zealand, and he is a bit awesome. Imagine a good Bob Log II, but even better than that.
The line up for Saturday's show at the Old Bar also includes Singing Sadie, Graveyard Train, Made for Chickens by Robots (last show ever, apparently) and the Toot Toot Toots.

Despite seeing a great show at the NSC just last week, I don't really like Northcote. But I know a lot of people who do.

This year's High Vibes festival has a huge number of bands, playing at a huge number of venues, all along High Street Northcote. Check that link for current details- things keep getting added. Note also the alcohol bans in certain areas- these do get enforced, at least sometimes they do.

Album of the week- The Intercontinental Playboys: "Hymns Of The Flesh"

A fine album this, on my mate The Barman's I94 Bar Records.
It's a throwback in some ways, both echoing the "band as gang" spirit of days gone past and carrying a distinctly retro edge, which is mainly reinforced by the heavy use of Hammond organ. And by "heavy use" I mean it replaces bass guitar in the four-piece line up.
It has an agreeably sleazy edge at times, too. They've been knocking round for a while- this includes a couple of bonus tracks that go back to 2004- and will be making a return trip to Melbourne in a few weeks to launch this properly.
Until then, whack the disc on, adjust your smoking jacket, and peruse some gentlemen's literature while enjoying "Bad Queenie" and "The Maestro's Shadow".